Adeleke receives ‘Governor of the Year’ award, vows to improve governance
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has pledged to intensify efforts in good governance and service delivery despite receiving numerous accolades and awards. He noted that his administration has reduced the infrastructure deficit in the state by over 40 percent.
Addressing the management team of Leadership Newspapers during the official presentation of the Governor of the Year 2024 award, Adeleke said that the positive reviews and high approval ratings motivate him to push his team to achieve even more.
The Governor stated, “I am not allowing the praises to go to my head. While it may be true that I have delivered a four-year task in under two years, I am driven to do more because Osun has been left behind on many fronts. Having reduced the infrastructure deficit by over 40 percent, my real target is even higher. While I have bridged access to primary healthcare, my ambition is to expand health access at medium and tertiary levels.
“Although our records across sectors are commendable, as your newspaper has acknowledged, my ultimate goal is to accelerate infrastructure upgrades alongside boosting soft investments for the well-being of our people.”
He added, “I appreciate your candid endorsement of our performance. It is important to note that your criteria for recognizing us align with the reasons cited by others.
“Our significant governance achievements are undeniable, particularly in workers’ welfare, infrastructure delivery, educational expansion, healthcare access improvement, solid mineral sector reforms, digital economy initiatives, agricultural mechanization, and more.”
Adeleke reiterated that his administration would not rest on its laurels and highlighted upcoming projects.
He said, “Very soon, I will flag off the ongoing remodeling of the Osogbo Stadium to meet international standards. Prior to this project, we established the Osun Sports Commission and Osun Sports Fund through the appropriate legal and policy frameworks.
“Additionally, I will soon launch the dualization of the first phase of the Odoori–Post Office road in Iwo. The contractor for the Iwo–Osogbo road has already mobilized to the site. We plan to complete these projects within the lifespan of this administration.
“Meanwhile, the dualization project in Ilesa is progressing, and the flyover bridge in Ile-Ife is making appreciable progress. The year 2025 will be a period of further expansion in good governance for the benefit of humanity.”
Vice Chairman of the Leadership Group, Mr. Mike Okpere, noted that Adeleke’s exceptional performance across all sectors of the economy led to his recognition as Governor of the Year.
Okpere explained that the Leadership Group’s research team conducted a thorough evaluation before selecting Adeleke for the award.
He added that the ceremony, scheduled for April 8 in Abuja, will also honor governors from Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Jigawa, and Kano states, alongside Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group.
Also speaking, Vice Chairman Abraham Nda-Isaiah highlighted Adeleke’s achievements in regular salary payments, infrastructure development, healthcare, agriculture, and education as factors that contributed to his selection for the award.
